Bespoke Facial at Omniya, London

I am *such* a fusspot when it comes to facials as I do think a lot of salons get away with charging fortunes for treatments that aren’t worthy of such a hefty price tag, so when I have a facial, I want to really feel like it’s price is justifiable. For me, a facial needs to strike a balance between relaxing and pampering, as well as functional and effective – those two key elements combined create my idea of a luxury facial.

I’ve been to Omniya a few times and it’s such a lovely space; it’s beautifully decorated with lots of bright white lights, clean lines and occasional splashes of colour that stop it becoming overtly clinical. It’s a “mediclinic” rather than a salon as such, meaning that the treatments and procedures available are of a high level and tend to lean more towards aesthetics rather than beauty treatments, so you can get things like high-grade peels, needling and fillers. Thankfully, this means that if you book in for a bespoke facial, you’ll be given a treatment that goes beyond the typical cleanse, extract and mask that you might experience at other salons. I also love the little extras, such as pear juice or coconut water whilst you wait for your appointment.

I was booked in to see Debbie Costello, a skin specialist who has a reputation for her results-driven facials, so I was very excited to experience one of her treatments. The salon stocks an impressive array of skincare/cosmeceutical products, most of which they incorporate into the facials, and my treatment was achieved using mostly Skinceuticals, Obagi and ZO Skin Health products. My treatment was extremely thorough and detailed, with a good cleanse, followed by a long steam, a great, barely noticeable extraction session, a mild manual exfoliation, then an Obagi peel. Debbie thought this peel would be the best for my skin type, since I was quite broken out at the time (stress, stress and more stress), then I was given a session under the LED machine – a device not recommended for Claustrophobics since it sits across your face from ear to ear, pretty joining up with the bed so that your whole face and neck gets treated. I found it absolutely fine as it’s quite a soothing experience, but I can understand why people who aren’t fans of closed-off spaces would struggle.

I really enjoyed the facial with Debbie and I would absolutely recommend it, as not only was my skin noticeably clearer and more refined the following day, the treatment itself was very enjoyable and jam-packed with treatments that, to me, make a truly bespoke facial – not only was the traditional facial elements included, I was also given a peel and an LED treatment, as well as some great mini massages during the ‘gaps’ when things like the peel or LED were doing their thing. This is so important to me as I really hate being left alone during a facial as I think the whole hour should be spent enjoying the pampering elements of a treatment, which shouldn’t include laying there with a mask on, doing nothing, as I can quite easily do that at home without paying for the privilege! Thankfully, the whole treatment was throughout, consistent, indulgent and relaxing; a truly good facial that meets the criteria for it’s high price point of £180. Having said that, the venue of the salon is pretty much opposite Harrods and I think you would struggle to get a bespoke facial with someone so qualified in that area for less than that. Find out more about Omniya here – link.